We love our shelter cats and want them to have a comfortable, cat-friendly environment, but we are also running on donated funds which we want to use as responsibly as possible. So instead of spending hundreds of dollars on cat furniture, we put in a little work and create items that work for our cats in our space but don't cost a fortune. Our most recent project is this multi-level cat tower. It cost about $40 and required no special tools, so we decided to share a guide with you in case you wanted to make one for your own furry friends!

Click the "Read more" link below to see how we built this tower!

Materials

3 basic end tables (We used IKEA Lack tables)

8 corner braces and 16 screws

100 ft of sisal rope

Hot glue

Construction adhesive or wood glue

Staples

Tools

Drill (or screwdriver if you don't have a drill)

Hot glue gun

Step One: Assembly

Assemble your end tables according to the directions provided. We used Lack tables from IKEA because they are affordable ($8 each), lightweight, and simple to put together. We also like that they have a clean, simple look and are easy to wipe down! Always a good feature in a cat rescue!

Step Two: Attaching the tables

Stack your tables in the shape of your choice. We have built one that is three tables high and this one, which is two tables at floor level and one on the second level. Put some construction adhesive, like Liquid Nails, or a wood glue on the areas where two tables will connect. Use corner braces (which are the L-shaped metal hardware the arrows are pointing to in the picture) and the screws that come with them to hold the table pieces together. I created one table using a drill for this step and another using a screwdriver. Both worked, but the drill was much easier.

Note to DIY enthusiasts: Don't try to overachieve and put pocket holes, biscuits, dowels or any other fancy types of joinery here. The tables are hollow. And the corner braces create a surprisingly strong joint.

Step Three: Making it Scratch-Worthy

Choose a couple of posts to wrap with rope. The full 100 feet of sisal rope we purchased was used on this project, so you should definitely buy more than one 100 ft length if you wish to cover more than a couple of posts. On the first one of these structures we made, we used some hammer-in staples and liquid nails to attach the rope. For this one, we used hot glue. Both worked well, but the hot glue was more user-friendly, and it's what I will use when I build another one. Simply use a generous amount of glue and a staple or two if you want (being careful to cover the staple to avoid is catching a claw!) to attach the top of the rope. Wrap it tightly, securing it with hot glue every two or three rows. At the bottom use a generous dab of hot glue and a staple or two if you wish to secure. If you run out of rope, as I did, use a few layers of glue to secure the end of the rope to the post and to secure the fraying ends of the rope to itself. If you have excess rope, simply cut the excess and save it for later projects.

Step Four: Submit your work for approval

Our design committee chaircat, Riley, tested the structure for comfort, safety, scratchworthiness, and design aesthetic and gave passing scores in all areas. About an hour of work and $40 in supplies and you too could be enjoying this stylish cat furniture in your own home.